A fleet of 37 new double decker buses will be operating on routes across Cornwall from January 2017 under an innovative partnership betweeen First Kernow, Go Cornwall and Cornwall Council as part of the county’s devolution deal.

Earlier this year the Government announced Cornwall would receive an additional £12m over the next three years to support the Council’s plans to improve bus services. 

This money is being used to join up bus routes, improve bus shelters and bus stops, integrate ticketing and timetabling for bus with local rail services, and to provide new and improved vehicles. 

This investment is part of the One Public Transport element of Cornwall’s Devolution Deal which will see £130m of Government funding used to develop an integrated rail, bus and ferry transport network across Cornwall.

First Kernow has invested £7.4m in buying 30 new double decker buses to use on routes in Cornwall, building on Go-Ahead’s Go Cornwall (Plymouth CityBus) operation which has seen seven new vehicles brought into service.  

This latest investment means Cornwall’s two largest operators have contributed £10.5m in providing new vehicles and upgrading existing buses over the past 12 months.

The new vehicles have also been built to the latest low emission European standards.  This means 12% of the 335 buses being used in Cornwall will have been upgraded, producing an 84% reduction in emissions.

The new fleet will be operating in  South East Cornwall on the 70/71 (Liskeard, Cremyll, Torpoint, Plymouth) routes.

The partners are also developing a single timetable containing information for all public transport services across Cornwall. 

Also under development is a brand new transport information app which residents and visitors will be able to access on their phones or tablets. 

There will also be a new single ticketing system which can be used across all bus, rail and ferry services, with passengers able to buy tickets on buses, whether by phone, app or using a debit card.

Ticket prices will be capped at a maximum daily fare level.